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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. fall — to drop
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fall — to drop
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. pass — a permit
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. capital — money
  15. bass — low music
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. fall — the season
  19. capital — a city
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. bass — the fish
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — a tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com